My search for a v-neck sweater...

[michaeljkrell]

Ok, I have posted this in the buying and selling forum here and on the other sf, but I need a lightweight v-neck sweater to wear over a dress shirt and tie. I am having no luck whatsoever finding one. I don't want to spend $50 or $60 on a gap v-neck, and I have never had a banana republic sweater fit me well.

I was told that H&M's v-neck's quality is not good. I guess Uniqlo makes some nice ones, but they are only in new york.

I would prefer merino wool in dark gray or navy blue...

 

[Tiranis]

Heh, good luck. I was in the same situation about four months ago... I was desperately trying to find a nice gray or dark red v-neck and I had absolutely NO luck, I've even considered high-end brands and found nothing that I would like. Oh wait, that would mean I still am in the same situation as you...

 

[chronoaug]

I remember hearing people enjoying jcrew sweaters. Not much better than gap/br in the construction and fit department but it's another option.

 

[streetfighter]

I would check out Zara for merino wool v-necks.

 

[robin]

How set are you on merino? It's hard to get now, but many cotton blends are in stores now. However...

* Jcrew's merino v-necks are a good value and have a decent fit if you can still find them. They've moved onto cotton blends like everyone else now, but they might still might be on sale in some places along with their cashmere's.

* Do you have a Macy's nearby? If they're still carrying them, their Alfani store brand merino sweaters are actually very good quality and aren't as baggy as BR's, unless they've changed how they've made them within the past two years - I have a few that are several years old now and they've surprisingly held up better then any of my other sweaters.

* My last guess on where you might find one is in a Club Monaco, where they would definitely have some shades of grays available. No idea on fit or quality there though.

 

[j]

+1 on Alfani actually - I've never had one myself but I see them a lot at thrifts and they seem to hold up well. I don't know about the fit though.

Also, I don't know where these retail but Nordstrom Rack always seems to have Ponte Vecchio brand merino sweaters that are pretty decent. The medium I have fits looser than I'd like, but I probably could have sized down.

And if you give me a chest measurement you'd like, I'll keep my eye out in my travels.

 

[allcapitan]

I second that. It's too bad you're shopping at such a late time of the year for sweaters. They were practically giving away sweaters during their christmas/end of year sale at Macy's. I think I picked up a v neck wool for $15 or so. Quality is ok, nothing spectacular, but it will certainly get the job done.

Allcap

Originally Posted by robin

* Do you have a Macy's nearby? If they're still carrying them, their Alfani store brand merino sweaters are actually very good quality and aren't as baggy as BR's, unless they've changed how they've made them within the past two years - I have a few that are several years old now and they've surprisingly held up better then any of my other sweaters.

 

[michaeljkrell]

I'm really not by anything...

My chest is 34" around so a small usually works. My sleeve is 33 or 34, so sometimes the sleeves can be too short...'

I would be very grateful to anyone who could pick something like this up for me...

 

[Halifamous]

Originally Posted by robin

* My last guess on where you might find one is in a Club Monaco, where they would definitely have some shades of grays available. No idea on fit or quality there though.
The fit is great, they run slim, but still have enough fabric to drape like a proper sweater. The merino wool ones are excellent quality for their price (around 80-90, but they go on sale a lot, as they are a staple). They last well, show no signs of pilling or fraying (1 year, regular rotation), they are quite comfortable and thin enough to layer. The only thing I don't like is that they have a slight sheen to them that takes a lot of wear to get rid of, but you can see that for yourself if you try one on.

One thing I will warn against however, is CM cashmere. Go with JCrew on that front.

 

[yerfdog]

I really like my Lands End cotton/cashmere blend sweater I got this winter. Works with or without a dress shirt under it (Medium fits my 6', 155 frame perfectly)

Fake edit: I just looked on the website and all they have left is black, sapphire and yellow, and the smallest size they have is Medium soooo not too helpful. oh AND it was $50 so there's another knock on it.


Alfani might be a good choice if you can get one small enough to fit you decently.

 

[jet]

Get a branquinho V like mine

 

[michaeljkrell]

Originally Posted by jet

Get a branquinho V like mine

 

[thinman]

Originally Posted by yerfdog

I really like my Lands End cotton/cashmere blend sweater I got this winter. Works with or without a dress shirt under it (Medium fits my 6', 155 frame perfectly)

Lands' End sweaters fit my slim build well and hold up well, too, but I don't know if they sell merino (I only have one cashmere sweater from LE). Brooks Brothers has a selection of merino wool sweaters during the winter, but they have none on the website at the moment. You might find some lingering is a store somewhere.

 

[Fuuma]

Simons in Montreal sometimes has some nice, very slim-fitting ones in merino wool. I'm not sure the sleeves are long enough but I'll measure mine tonight to make sure. If you pick them on sale they're like $20.

 

[macuser3of5]

J Crew V's fit pretty nicely, though they are a bit on the short side. I wash and pull to make em fit nicer.